Remco Evenepoel Bursting with Confidence: "I Don't Think I've Had This Form Yet This Year

Remco Evenepoel is heading into a very important week. The Belgian star rides the World Time Trial Championship tomorrow and a week later the Road World Championship. Evenepoel is bursting with confidence right now, as was evident from the press conference with the leader of Team Belgium. "It’s the first time I’ve been able to wrap up all my training perfectly," he told, among others, HLN.

As the defending world champion, there’s extra pressure for Evenepoel. "Once you have such a jersey, you don’t want to give it up, especially when you know the course suits you." How many riders have won three times in a row? Two (Michael Rogers and Tony Martin, ed.). That’s a great challenge: I want to add my name to that list and even surpass it. It’s ‘and’ and ‘and’ and ‘and’. It would be great to deliver a historic performance here – that would be special."

The course is definitely in his favor, Evenepoel indicated. "It’s a course just the way I like it: wide, lots of straight sections, not technical, lots of position work. There will also be many pace changes because it’s constantly up and down – which doesn’t make it easier – but I actually like that. You definitely shouldn’t go over the limit in the first part. The toughest climbs are at the end, where you still have to be able to go ‘all out’ twice. The last ten minutes will be very intense."

Form of the Season
"When we climb, it’s in time trial position, and the downhill parts are mostly straight, so you keep your position there as well: I should be able to take advantage of that." Evenepoel will need to exploit that advantage, as Tadej Pogacar is a major rival starting on this course.

And yet, Evenepoel is very confident: "I don’t want to shout it from the rooftops, but I think I haven’t yet hit the form this year that I have now. That’s also logical: I had a solid preparation, a long month of training camp, and I now have five months of racing in my legs, just like everyone else before the Tour. So it’s not illogical that I feel my best now of the whole season. That’s also what we expected after winter. It’s the first time I’ve been able to wrap up all my training perfectly."

Extra Highlights? 
"Whether I can still add some titles to my season? Not necessarily. It’s been a difficult season anyway. Actually, I should ask you: will you be satisfied if I win the world title and the European title? Surely yes, right? If I win two of the four titles, my season will be even more beautiful. And then there’s also Lombardy. Five more great opportunities."